Flying machine



Feb. 9 1926.

E. A. PARKER ET AL FLYING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1924Masai m5, w

2 %Mr Guam,

Feb. 9,1926; 1,572,120

E. A. PARKER ET AL FLYING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2gwmmtoq;

E A Parker,

Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT {OFFICE} EARL A. PARKER AND CLAUDE W. MASSINGHAM,OF POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application filed April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EARL A. PARKER and Poplar Bluff, in the county ofButler and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flying hilachiues: and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in flying machines of the lighterthan air type, having for an object to provide a dirigible and propelledairship having the load sustaining means or body thereof connected tothe gondola or carriage in such a manner as to permit of relativeuninterrupted parallel movement therebctween, hence, permitting thecraft so constructed, to be especially stable and etlicient in flightunder abnormal conditions, such as dui'ing storms and similardisturbances; it being at all times possible to cause the craft to facethe wind and thus secure thereto, its full power of propulsion andcontrol.

An equally important object of the mvention is to provide a flyingmachine, the

sustaining means of which is so constructed that the center of buoyancyand of gravity will be in the same vertical plane, hence, permitting themachine to constantly retain its full equilibrium.

It is also an objectof the invention to provide a flying machine with anovelly constructed and shaped sustaining beam or body, the same beingcircular in shape and formed with angular bow portions, therebyallording superior qualities for the comhating of wind friction and airresistance, together with the ability to ascend or descend when desiredand under full control.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by persons skilled in the art, we have inthe accompanyingillustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description basedthereupon, set out one possible embodiment of the same.

In these drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the im proved machine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view having portions thereof broken away, showingthe shape or formation of the sustaining body;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the sustaining body; and,

l igure -lis an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in section, showingthe swivel connection between thesustaining bodyand the machine gondolaor carriage.

lilaving more particular reference to the drawings, in connection withwhich like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts,the improved flying ma chine maybe stated to comprise a sustaining body1, a gondola or carriage 2, and a swivel connection 3, such connection,obviously, serving to support the gondola 2 with respect to thesustaining body 1 and to permit of uninterrupted relative parallelmovement as between the two;

The sustainii'ig body 1, being referred to in detail, may be stated tocomprise a skeleton or superstructure comprehending concentricallyarranged circular braces or trusses 4:, of which there are two, as shownin the Figure 3. Radially disposed bars'5 are interconnected with thesecircular braces 4: and will be noted, are so arranged as to provide acircular frame, the opposite sides thereof, that is, the upper and lowersides of which, are tapered outwardly, as is clearly shown in the Figure3. Vertically disposed trusses 6 are positioned between the oppositesides of the bars 5 at certain distances throughout their lengths and byreason of their connection with the adjacent portions of such bars willserve to effectual- ].y brace the same and likewise, to alfordcompartments for the various buoyant elements of the sustaining body tobe presently described. In this connection, it will be noted that themarginal or bow portion of the sustaining body 1 is angled, and byreason of this, it will be understood that the sustaining body will begiven such superior qualities as will enable the same to successfullycombat wind friction and air resistance.

Fixedly connected to the lower side and central portion of thesuperstructure of the This swivel connecting ring 8, as will be notedupon reference to the Figure 4, coinprises 'a circular tubular-like bodyportion having a slot formed. in the lower part there of through whichhanger brackets 9, connected to rollers 10 travelling within thecircular tubularbody may pass. A circular band 11 is fixedly connectedto the lower ends of these hanger brackets as indicated at 12. Thus,itwill be understood that by reason of the connection of the circularband 11 to the rollers 10, rotary movement as between said band 11 andthe ring 8' will be permitted Incidentally, it should be here noted thatthe swivel ring 8 is rigidly supported withrespect to the sustainingbody .1 through the medium of the various supporting rods 7.

Arranged within the central compartment of the sustaining bodysuperstructure, such compartment being affordedby the inner- .mostvertical trusses 6, is a spherical gasinflated bag 13, the upper andlower portions of which pass through the circular braces 41-.Encompassing this spherical gasintlated bag 13, but spaced therefrom, isan inner gas-inflated tube 1 1, the same being arranged inthatcompartment provided as between the innern'iost vertical truss ortrusses and those trusses outwardly of but adjacent to the same. Yetanother and outer gas-inflated tubelo is arranged within thesuperstructure of the-sustaining body 1 between another of thecompartments afforded by the arrangement of others of the verticaltrusses 6, this latter gas inflated tube, as will be noted, being spacedfrom the inner gas-1nflated tube 14. To secure or support thegasdnflated bag 13 and the gasinflated tubes let-and 15 in suspendedpositi ons within the superstructure of the sustaining body 1, ropes orsuitable forms of cables, generally indicated herein by the numeral 16,are passed about or wrapped over the bag 13, then crossed over thesuperstruc ture bars 5 and the trusses G and engaged about the nnergas-inflated bag 14 and then over portions of the superstructure bars 5and others of the trusses G, whereupon the ropes or cables are passedabout the outer gas-inflated bag 15. The free or remaining ends of theseropes or cables are then arranged in criss-crossed relationship asindicated by the numeral 17 and secured to adjacent portions of thetapered marginal parts of the sustaining body superstructure,

as clearly indicated in the Figure 3. In

this way, it will be understood that the inflatable bodies within thesustaining body 1 will be immovably secured in their sus pendedpositions with respect to their particular compartment within thesuperstructure of such sustaining body and in consequencc, damagethereto, caused by constant rubbing or friction will be avoided andlikewise, the stability of the sustaining body brought about by positivepositioning of the buoyant bodies therein will be ensured.

The superstructure of the sustaining 'body 1 with arrangement of thelighter than air bodies 13, 14 and 15 therein in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, is adapted to be enveloped in a covering ofsuitablewaterproo'f fabric or other material indicated by the numeral18, such material, of course, being stretched taut over thesuperstructure of the sustaining body and having its adjacent portionsjoined by stitching, lacing, or other suitable means, common in the art.

The gondola or carriage 2 of the machine is adapted to be connected byhanger rods or similar devices 19 to the circular band or ring 11 andwhen so positioned, it will he understood that the same will besupported in substantial parallelism to the sus taining body 1. Thegondola is provided with suitable motive means for driving the rotatablepropeller 20 at the desired velocity, whilethe usual rudder or othersteering apparatus 21 is provided upon the rearward or other desiredportions of such gondola. Also, landing gearing 22 may be andpreferably'is provided the gondola for obvious purposes.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have provided a lighter thanair flying machine of the dirigible and propelled type which by reasonof its peculiar construction and formation of the sustaining body thereof will be permitted to successfully encounter and withstand heavy windfriction and air resistance. Because of .the connection of the gondola2, through the swivel 3 to the sustaining body 1, it will be also seenthat the center of buoyancy and the center of gravity of the flyingmachine will be arranged in the same vertical plane, hence, lendingmaterially to the stability of the machine as well as to its lifting andflying efficiency. Furthermore, because of the ability of the gondola 2to move in an interrupted path of parallel travel with respect to thesustaining body 1, it will be understood that the propeller 20 thereofmay, at all times, be brought head-ion into engagement with windfriction or air resistance, whereas the propelling apparatus 21 of suchgondola may be also advantageously positioned in order that the craftmay be caused to carry on effectual flight through abnormal airconditions.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerablemodification, and such modification as is within the scope of oursuperstructure having the upper and lower surfaces thereof tapered, gasinflated bodies retained in spaced relation within said superstructure,a carriage, a circular swivel ring fixedly connected to the under sideand central portion of the superstructure, a circular band, rollersfixedly connected in spaced relation to said band and niovably receivedin the circular ring, and means for cifecting connection between saidcarriage and said band.

2. A flying machinecomprising a lighter than air sustaining bodyconsisting of a superstructure having the upper and lower surfacesthereof tapered, gas inflated bodics retained in spaced relation withinsaid superstructure, one of said gas inflated bodies being spherical inshape and the others of said bodies being circular in shape and arrangedconcentrically with respect to said spherical body, a carriage, andmeans for rotatably connecting and supporting said carriage on saidsuperstructure.

3. A flying machine comprising a sustaining body including asuperstructure circular in shape and having its upper and lower surfacestapered outwardly, a spherical gasinflated body arranged within andcentrally of said superstructure, a pair of concentrically arrangedgas-inflated tubes within the superstructure and encompassing sphericalbody, means for suspending said said spherical body and tubes within thesuper structure and in spaced relation, a carriage, and means connectedto the under side of the superstructure and arranged centrally of thesame for swivelly connecting said carriage to the sustaining body andpermitting of uninterrupted parallel movement therebetween.

4;. A flying machine comprising a lighter than air sustaining bodyincluding a superstructure consisting of bars and struts arranged torender the same circular in shapeand to have its upper and lower sidestapered outwardly, a spherical gas-inflated bag arranged within andcentrally of said superstructure, gas-inflated tubes arrangedconcentrically with respect to each other within the superstructure andencompassing said gas-inflated bag, means for supporting said bag andtubes in suspended and spaced positions within the superstructure anenvelope enclosing said superstructure, a carriage, a circular swivelring fixedly con nected to the under side and central portion of thesuperstructure, a circular band movably connected to said circular ring,and means for effecting connection between the carriage and saidcircular band.

I11 witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EARL A PARKER. CLAUDE MASSINGHAM.

